Sectional support for pendent light-fixtures.



A. H. MANWARlNG.

SECTIONAL SUPPORT FOR PENDENT LIGHT FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I. I913.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

wan z A. H. MANWARING.

SECTIONAL SUPPORT FOR PENDENT LIGHT FIXTURES.

' APPUCATION FILED NOV-1,1913 1,199,587.

I PIIIIIII IIIIII i ALBERT H. MANWARING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SECTIONAL SUPPORT FOR PENIDENT LIGHT-FIXTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed November 1, 1913. Serial N 0. 798,703.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT H. MAN- WARING, acitizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have invented certain Improvements in Sectional Supports for PendentLight-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for supporting lighting fixtures, and theobject of my invention is to provide a tubular sectional structure, moreparticularly employed for the support of electric lighting fixtures andconstructed for the purpose of carrying and concealing the currentconducting wires. In the present instance, the supporting structure isin the form of a tube, which may be rectangular or of other suitableshape in cross section.

A further feature of my invention is to employ such supporting meanswith a sectional supporting rim for the shade or globe employed with thelighting fixture; which rim may be hung from, one or a plurality of thetubular, sectional, wire-carrying supporting members.

These and other features of my invention are more fully describedhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a view in elevation of a lighting fixture, showing one formof sectional supporting means and sectional shade holder within thescope of my present invention; Fig. 2, is an enlarged view of a portionof the sectional support and sectional shade holder shown in Fig. 1;Fig. 3, is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4, is an enlarged face view ofa portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, is a verticalsectional view taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6, is a sectionalview on the line 6-6, Fig. i; Fig. 7, is a sectional view on the line77, Fig. 4.; Fig. 8, is a perspective view of the end of one of thesections shown in Figs. 2 and 4; Fig. 9, is an enlarged sectional viewon the line 99, Fig. 2; Fig. 10, is a sectional view on the line 10-10,Fig. 2; Fig. 11, is a sectional view on the line 1111, Fig. 2, and Figs.12 and 13, are views illustrating other forms of tubular or hollowsections within the scope of my invention.

The important feature of my present invention is the idea of having asectional tubular support for lighting fixtures which can be built up asdesired by adding more sections. The sections are hollow, usuallytubular, and carry the electric wires or cords inside the same.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the support is made up of aplurality of plain sections 1, which may be in pairs, and specialsections 2 having U-shaped portions 2 for attachment with the sections1, and single portions 2 for attachment to a ceiling support 3 and aglobe or shade support 5. The several sections may be rectangular orofother shape in cross section and they are hollow to receive the wires7 Intermediate the special sections 2 and the ceiling support and thespecial sections 2 and the globe support, I provide, in the presentarrangement, connecting sections 6.-

All of these sections are hollow, and they may be connected together toform the desired support in the following manner: Each tubular sectionmay have a cupshaped end P, in the present instance disposed at thebottom of the section as employed in the support. These cup-shaped endsare relatively deep, and across the widest portion of the same, on twosides, I

make a cut or saw-kerf 8 extending entirely through the wall of metal.At the opposite ends of these sections, the wall at the widest point iscutaway on both sides as indicated at 9; the width of such cuts being alittle greater than the width of the walls 10 of the cup-shaped portionbetween the kerf or cut 8 and the end of the section. The narrow ends ofthe sections are then telescoped within the cup-shaped ends, and

the walls 10 of the latter are pressedinto the spaces formed by the cuts9 of the end of the next link and such walls, when depressed, willengage the end walls formed by the cutout portions 9 and lock suchtubular sections together.

The sectional supporting means are sus pended from a suitable ceilingsupport 3, which may be fastened adjacent the ceiling in any well knownmanner. Carried by this vmember are hollow yoke-shaped members 11,

the separate ends of which may be threaded and pass through openings 12in the ceiling support 3, and be secured thereto in any suitable manner.The lower ends of the members 11 are attached to the sections 1 byconnecting members 6. The conducting wires 7 pass through the severalhollow tubular members making up the sectional support, and they areconnected. n the usual manner to the source of current supply and thelamp sockets, respectively.

The lower'ends of the sectional supports are connected to portions of asectional shade holder made up of links 15, suitably connected together;in the present instance such links or sections having straps 16 at oneend adapted to enter slots 17 at the other end of an adjacent link andbe folded back to eiiect a lock. These shade supporting sections areformed originally on such a curve or radius as to permit of being builtup of a greater or less number of pieces, as may be desired,to fit therims 18 of difierent sized globes 19. Certain of the links carry plates20 to which the supports are attached; being secured to said links byscrews 21, and these plates carry threaded members 22 to which electriclamp socket holders may be attached, and the wires 7 which are broughtdown through the hollow sections are passed through said threadedmembers 22, which are hollow. It will be understood, of course, thatother forms of sectional shade holders may be employed.

As the shade supporting rim is flexible and made up of independent,interchangeable units, it will be readily understood that the size ofthe shade support may be varied by adding to or removing links orsections. VVhen large shades are to be supported, a plurality ofsupports are generally employed, three or four, as may be desired.Smaller shades may only require two, and in some instances a singlesupport may be employed; the shade or globe support being provided witha frame or spider to which such support may be attached.

The important feature of this invention is the adjustability of thesectional support. The support proper, consisting of hollow separablesections which are preferably rigidly connected together, may be readilyconnected and disconnected; permitting an instant lengthening orshortening of the same to suit conditions which can not be foreseen whenthe placement of the structure is first proposed. If desired, portionsof the tubular sections may consist of more than one unit. At the sametime, the wires are concealed so that all that is in view are thetubular bar supports.

Copies of this patent may otherwise constructed, as may be convenient ordesirable.

I claim:

1. The combination, in supporting means for lighting fixtures, of aplurality of hollow sections each of the same shape and arranged tocarry conducting wires, each of said sections having their respectiveends transversely slit and shaped for direct telescopic connection withadjacent sections, the

end of one section entering the end of a suc- T ceeding section, andcooperative securing means in the telescoping ends formed by thetransversely slit portions for locking the sections together.

2. The combination, in supporting means for lighting fixtures, of aplurality of independent hollow sections receiving conducting wires, andconnections for said sections comprising compressible walls carried byeach section for engagement with the telescopic portion of an adjacentsection.

3. The combination, in supporting means for lighting fixtures, of asupport made up of a plurality of hollow tubular sections to recelve andconceal conducting wires, each of said sections being made up of a sheetmetal body, one end having opposite walls cut away, and the opposite endhaving compressible walls for engagement with the spaces formed by thecut away portions of an adjacent hollow tubular section.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. MANWVARING. WVitn'esses:

MURRAY C. BOYER, WVM. A. BARR.

Washington, D. 0."

be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents,

